Stamp dispenser



25, 1966 T. F. STUTZMAN ETAL 3,281,033

STAMP DISPENSER Filed Oct. 23, 1964 INVENTORS THOMAS F. STUTZMAN EDWA RDJ. R VN/V United States Patent Office 3,281,633 Patented Oct. 25, 19863,281,033 STAMP DISPENSER Thomas F. Stutzrnan, .lustus, Pa., and EdwardJ. Rynn,

Howard Beach, N.Y., assignors to Eureka Specialty Printing Company,Scranton, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 23, 1964, Ser. No.406,090 Claims. (Cl. 225-38) This invention relates to receptacles orcontainers from which selected lengths of material in strip form may bedispensed, and more particularly to portable receptacles or containersfor dispensing trading stamps and the like.

The main object of the instant invention is to provide a receptacle inwhich its cover forms one element of an elongated frictional controlmeans for a strip of stamps or the like being fed from a roll containedin the receptacle.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a stamp dispensingdevice which may be manufactured to hold one or a series of spools ofstamps, ribbon or other materials to be dispensed and which is made of aminimum number of parts and due to its structure requires no mechanicaladjustments or attachments to perform its function.

Another object of this invention is to provide a dispensing device forspool material which is constructed from a box like enclosure having apair of plate like elements which are slidably supported therein to forma restricted passage through which the spool like material may be fedand controlled during the feeding thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the class inquestion which is readily portable and can be conveniently carried bysalesmen in gasoline service stations and the like, thereby eliminatingthe necessity of the salesman returning to an otfice to obtain stampsfor a customer after each sale from a conventional fixed dispenser.

These and further objects of the invention will more clearly hereinafterappear by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of theinstant specification wherein like characters of reference designatecorresponding parts throughout the sevaral views, in which:

FIG. 1 is a persepective view showing the invention used in connectionwith the dispensing of multiple strips;

FIG. 2 is a vertical section through the form of the invention shown inFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse section illustrating themovement of the strip from one of the chambers; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing a portion of the guidewayformed in the end walls.

Basically, the invention comprehends the use of a receptacle, the top ofwhich is in the form of a member slid-able in grooves appropriatelydisposed in the receptacle and which coacts with a plate member disposedfor slidable movement in a set of parallel grooves also appropriatelydisposed in the receptacle; the plate member being formed to provide anexit passage for a strip of stamps being dispensed from the receptacleand co acting with the top to form therewith a restricted passagethrough which the strip of stamps is dispensed from the receptacle whileat the same time providing a friction effect upon the strip of stamps toprevent movement thereof back into the receptacle.

In the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 through 4, the structureis designed to form a plurality of compartments for dispensing stampsfrom a series of rolls, it being apparent from this structure that therolls of stamps could be of different size by modifying the partitionsor could be used for stamps of different denominations. The structureshown in FIGS. 1-4 is intended to he basically a portable design andincludes an elongated receptacle including front wall 20, bottom wall21, end walls 22 and rear wall 23. Vertical transversely arrangedpartitions 24 and 25 are illustrated for separating the receptacle in aplurality of dispensing chambers, each of which is adapted to contain aroll of stamps or the like to be dispensed from the structure.

The end walls 22 are formed at their inner top portions with transverseguide slots 26 and 27 arranged parallel to each other, the bottom slots27 being adapted to receive a friction insert plate 28 which can beinserted from the open ends of the slots above the short rear wall 23,as shown at 28a, and this friction plate insert will abut the inner face29 of the front wall 20 and will terminate inwardly of the rear wall 23to provide a guide passage for a strip of stamps, as will more clearlyhereinafter appear.

A cover plate 30 is inserted through the open end of the upper slots 26above the rear wall or panel 23 and will likewise terminate against theinner face 29 of the front wall 20. The top plate or cover 30 is formedwith recesses 31 at its front end to provide finger openings forgripping a strip of stamps being dispensed from the rolls or stampscontained within the compartments defined by the partitions 24 and 25. Aroll of stamps or the like is indicated at B in the first compartment(FIGS. 1 and 3) and is shown extending upwardly about the transverseguide end 32 of the friction plate 28 and between the top of frictionplate or insert 28 and the inner face of cover 30, as at 33 (FIG. 3) andoutwardly through a plurality of openings 36 (FIG. 1) of the receptaclefor removal by a tearing operation along an edge 37 (FIGS. 1 and 3) ofan opening 36, or by separation along a respective edge 37 at perforatedpoints, as is customary in stamp strip structures.

It will 'be apparent that the illustrations in the present disclosureare exaggerated to clearly show the parts, however, it is to beunderstood that the spacing between the friction plate or insert 28 andthe cover 30 is to be substantially equal to the thickness of the stampor other material which i being dispensed and which is being movedtherebetween so that the entire area between the adjacent faces of thefriction plate 28 and the cover 30 will provide gripping areas tofrictionally control the passage of stamp strips or the liketherebetween and to hold the remaining portion of the strip to preventit from slipping backward into its respective compartments.

In the disclosure, coil supports to fit in the recesses in the ends ofthe spools of stamps or other material are shown at 34 and 35, the coilsupports 34 being suitably secured to the inner faces of the end walls22 and the coil supports 35 being shown as extending through openings inthe partitions 24 and 25. Any form of spool support may be provided formaintaining the spools or rolls of stamps generally parallel to theadjacent side walls so that proper feeding of the stamps from the spoolswill be facilitated.

Any number of stamps can be separated from the remainder of the roll bythe operator grasping the free end a of the stamps after an appropriateamount has been withdrawn from the receptacle and severing the strip bya tearing operation across a edge; the edge being sufiiciently sharp toprovide an appropriate tearing surface. If the operator chooses to doso, he may apply pressure to the stamp trip within the cut-out area 31in FIG. 1, to retain the strip against further dispensing during thetearing operation.

What is claimed is:

l. A receptacle adapted to receive material in the form of a stripselected lengths of which are to be torn off: comprising (a) a pluralityof walls interconnected to define therebetween a material receivingenclosure;

(b) slot means formed in said material receiving enclosure and of a sizesufiicient to permit the movement of selected lengths of the stripmaterial from said material receiving enclosure when a strip of materialis disposed therewithin;

() plate means slidably disposed in first guide slots formed in opposedwalls of said material receiving enclosure with a surface of said platemeans in close proximity to a surface on another of said walls of saidmaterial receiving enclosure so as to form between said surfaces apassageway of restricted configuration to frictionally receive thematerial of the strip of material, and so as to permit the movement ofthe strip material through said slot means and out from said materialreceiving enclosure; and

((1) said another of said walls of said material receiving enclosurebeing slid-ably disposed in second guide slots which are similar to saidfirst guide slots, are parallel to said first guide slots, and areformed respectively in said opposed walls of said material receivingenclosure.

2. The receptacle of claim 1: wherein (a) said plate means is of a sizesubstantially coextensive with that of said another of said walls ofsaid material receiving enclosure, but is shortened in at least onedimension with respect thereto so as to permit movement of a strip ofthe strip of material from said material receiving enclosure into saidpassageway; and

(b) said another of said walls of said material receiving enclosure isformed with recess means to facilitate movement of a strip of the stripof material through said passageway.

3. The receptacle of claim 1: wherein (a) the strip of material is inthe form of a coil; and

(b) there are coil support means disposed in said material receivingenclosure to facilitate unwinding of said coil.

4. The receptacle of claim 1 including partition means dividing saidmaterial receiving enclosure into a plurality of compartments eachadapted to have a strip of material disposed therewithin and dispensedtherefrom through said passageway and slot means.

5. A dispensing device for stamps and the like comprising:

(a) a front wall, a left end wall, a right end wall, a

rear wall, and a bottom wall, all integrally interconnected to form anenclosure open at the top and adapted to receive a strip of stamps;

(b) a first guide slot formed in the inner surface of said left end wallproximate the top edge thereof and a second guide slot formed in theinner surface of said right end wall proximate the top edge thereof andin the same plane as said first guide slot;

(c) a top wall of a size and configuration to be slidably received insaid first and said second guide slots so as to close the top of saidenclosure;

(d) an insert plate;

(e) a third guide slot formed in the inner surface of said left end wallproximate said first guide slot and coplanar with a fourth guide slot,formed in the inner surface of said right end Wall proximate said secondguide slot, and coacting with said fourth guide slot to slidab=lyreceive said insert plate and position 41 same in close proximity withsaid top wall to form therebetween a passageway of a size andconfiguration to frictionally receive an end of the strip of stamps soas to permit movement thereof when a predetermined pull is appliedthereto but sufficient to retain same when said predetermined pull is nolonger applied thereto; and

(f) at least one exit slot formed in one of said walls to permitmovement of the end of the strip of stamps from said enclosure after ithas-passed through said passageway.

6. The dispensing device of claim 5: wherein (a) said rear wall isformed shorter than said front wall, said left end wall, and said rightend wall;

(b) said first and third guide slots and said second and fourth guideslots, being respectively disposed in the inner surfaces of said leftend wall and said right end wall which extend above the height of saidrear wall so as to permit sliding movement of said top wall and saidinsert plate into and out of their respective guide slots from edgesthereof at the rear of said enclosure.

7. The dispensing device of claim 6: wherein (a) said top Wall fullycovers the top of said enclosure by abutting against an inner surface ofsaid front wall and by extending over an upper edge of said rear wall;and

(b) said insert plate is of a size and configuration such that it willabut :said inner surface of said front wall but will terminate short ofsaid rear wall so as to permit movement of an end of the strip of stampstherebetween and into said passageway.

8. The dispensing device of claim 7 wherein said exit slot is formedthrough said front wall in the portion thereof between where said topwall and said insert plate abut said inner surface of said front wall.

9. The dispensing device of claim 8 including partitions disposed withinsaid enclosure to divide same into compartments.

10. The dispensing device of claim 9 wherein the strip of stamps arewound into coils and each of said compartments has formed therein coilsupports to facilitate mounting of the coils within said compartmentsand the unwinding of the coils.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,285,240 11/1918Krile 22534 X 1,364,743 1/1921 Fuerth 22544 1,881,73 1 10/ 1932Lewandowski 22544 2,118,791 5/1938 Hines 22547 2,276,296 3/1942 Flood22544 X 2,433,445 12/1947 Elsman 22547 2,462,816 2/1949 Schner et al22588 X 2,463,037 1/1949 Holm 22534 X 2,647,577 8/1953 White 206-58 X2,771,214 11/ 1956 Lefebvre 22544 X 2,984,397 5/1961 Gillam 22553 X3,092,294 6/1963 Holcombe 22547 FOREIGN PATENTS 683,663 3/1930 France.

WILLIAM W. DYER, JR., Primdry Examiner.

J. M. MEISTER, Assistant Examiner.

1. A RECEPTACLE ADAPTED TO RECEIVE MATERIAL IN THE FORM OF A STRIPSELECTED LENGTHS OF WHICH ARE TO BE TORN OFF: COMPRISING (A) A PLURALITYOF WALLS INTERCONNECTED TO DEFINE THEREBETWEEN A MATERIAL RECEIVINGENCLOSURE; (B) SLOT MEANS FORMED IN SAID MATERIAL RECEIVING ENCLOSUREAND OF A SIZE SUFFICIENT TO PERMIT THE MOVEMENT OF SELECTED LENGTHS OFTHE STRIP MATERIAL FROM SAID MATERIAL RECEIVING ENCLOSURE WHEN A STRIPOF MATERIAL IS DISPOSED THEREWITHIN; (C) PLATE MEANS SLIDABLE DISPOSEDIN FIRST GUIDE SLOTS FORMED IN OPPOSED WALLS OF SAID MATERIAL RECEIVINGENCLOSURE WITH A SURFACE OF SAID PLATE MEANS IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO ASURFACE ON ANOTHER OF SAID WALLS OF SAID MATERIAL RECEIVING ENCLOSURE SOAS TO FORM BETWEEN SAID SURFACE A PASSAGEWAY OF RESTRICTED CONFIGURATIONTO FRICTIONALLY RECEIVE THE MATERIAL OF THE STRIP OF MATERIAL, AND SO ASTO PERMIT THE MOVEMENT OF THE STRIP MATERIAL THROUGH SAID SLOT MEANS ANDOUT FROM SAID MATERIAL RECEIVING ENCLOSURE; AND (D) SAID ANOTHER OF SAIDWALLS OF SAID MATERIAL RECEIVING ENCLOSURE BEING SLIDABLE DISPOSED INSECOND GUIDE SLOTS WHICH ARE SIMILAR TO SAID FIRST GUIDE SLOTS, AREPARALLEL TO SAID FIRST GUIDE SLOTS, AND ARE FORMED RESPECTIVELY IN SAIDOPPOSED WALLS OF SAID MATERIAL RECEIVING ENCLOSURE.